Tape reel



Sept. 20, 1966 A. QUENOT 3,273,820

TAPE REEL Filed Oct. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I 1 F'] /7& Z I v Sept. '20, 1966 QUENOT 3,

TAPE REEL Filed Oct. 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 6 (Iiairns. (a. 2 .2-84.8)

Rotary drums fitted between two flanges in a linear measuring device are already known wherein the drum is driven by a pivoting crank adapted to engage the drum when in its operative position and to be disengaged with reference to said drum when it is returned to its inoperative position. The flanges carrying such drums often include an extension constituted by a handle or else they form the shells of a casing while the measuring tape is wound round the drum.

Various solutions have been proposed already as concerns the execution of the clutch between the drum and the crank. One of said solutions consists in pivotally securing the crank to a strap fitted revolvably on the drum shaft, the crank arm being provided with an elongated slot adapted to cooperate with a flat-sided section of said drum shaft, so as to make the drum rotate with the crank when the latter is set in its operative position. Another solution of the problem consists in folding the end of the handle terminating the crank to disconnect the latter with reference to the drum through the agency of elastic means. Lastly, it has also been proposed to secure the pivotal end of the crank eccentrically on a shaft in a manner such that the crank may form a lever engaging one of the flanges and disconnects the shaft with reference to the drum when the crank collapses under the action of a spring.

Braking means are already known for such drums, while braking means are constituted by a frictionally acting spring inserted between a flange and one surface of the drum, so as to prevent the unwinding of the tape when the drum is not urged by the crank or by a traction exerted on the tape. Lastly, locking means have already been proposed with a view to preventing the drum from rotating in the direction corresponding to the unwinding of the tape when the latter has to be held fast for a predetermined length of unwinding.

Such features have hitherto been incorporated with independent structures requiring a large number of different parts fitted to either side of the drum. Their operation is frequently hard, since the friction between the metal parts cannot be controlled easily. A wear of such parts engaging each other appears also prematurely.

The present invention has now for its object a rotary drum controlled by a collapsible crank, chiefly for the winding and unwinding of a measuring tape with a view to removing said drawbacks. According to the invention, the drum includes a cylindrical sleeve of which one inturned end is adapted to slide between the bottom of a first recess formed coaxially in the drum and the head of a rod secured coaxially to the drum while a spring is housed between the parallel surfaces of the sleeve and of the head which face each other and a disc fitted permanently on the sleeve cooperates with a second recess formed coaxially in the drum, said second recess and said disc showing on parallel surfaces respectively a shoulder and a hollow section and furthermore one of the ends of the cranks is fitted eccentrically on a pin secured perpendicularly to the rotary axis of the drum between two extensions rigid with the end of the sleeve opposed to its inturned end; the arrangement is such that when in its operative position, the crank can rotate in unison with 3,273,820 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 the drum while in its collapsed inoperative position, the crank is released with reference to the drum.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention. In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial cross-section of the arrangement,

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through line II--II of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the crank,

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the disc,

FIG. 5 is a cross-section through line V--V of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows a drum 1 having a coaxial cylindrical projection 1A revolvably fitted between two flanges 2 and 3. Round the periphery of the drum is wound a measuring tape which is not illustrated. Along the axis of the drum is secured, through the agency of an axial screw 5, a rod 4 terminating with a head 6. A first cylindrical housing or blind recess 7 is formed coaxially in the drum, round the location of the shank of said rod, while a second recess 8 of a larger diameter and the depth of which is smaller than that of the first recess extends coaxially round said first recess. A sleeve 9 is slidingly fitted inside the first recess and is held in position by a coil spring 10 fitted between the inturned end 11 of the sleeve and the inner surface 12 of the head of the rod facing and parallel with said inturned end.

Over the sleeve 9 is fitted a disc 13 rotating in unison with said sleeve as provided by their interengagement over a flat surface 14 (FIG. 4). This disc is crimped at 15 on the sleeve. FIG. 4 shows that the disc is provided with openings 16 distributed at uniform distances from each other on a circumference coaxial with the disc. Said openings 16 register with shoulders 18 secured to drum 1 facing said openings and having a trapezoidal cross-section, which shoulders are formed on the transverse annular surface 17 of the second recess. These members form a clutch. FIG. 2 shows the disc 13 engaging thus the surface 17 of the recess 8. At the outer end of the sleeve 9 the crang 19 is fitted by means of a pin 20 secured perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft A and extending between the surfaces facing each other on the two extensions 21 and 22 of the sleeve (FIG. 3). The pin 20 is fitted eccentrically with reference to the two outer parallel surfaces of the inner end of the crank. As a matter of fact, a small steel plate 23 forms on one of said surfaces an extra thickness playing a part to be described hereinafter. The other end of the crank carries a handle 24.

FIG. 5 shows a third recess 25 formed laterally in the drum 1 and the periphery of which is bounded by radial inwardly directed shoulders 26 and 27 adapted to cooperate with a locking member 28 slidably secured on the flange 2 (FIG. 1). The slope of the surfaces of said shoulders is such that the inturned end 29 of the locking member 28 actually locks the drum against rotation in the direction corresponding to the unwinding of the tape when said member 28 has been caused to slide inwardly of the drum towards the axis of the latter, while the reverse rotation of the drum corresponding to the winding of the tape under the action of the crank returns automatically the member 23 into its releasing position.

At the periphery of the drum 1 (FIG. v5) is provided an axial notch 30 in the area where the drum wall has a maximum thickness by reason of the presence of a shoulder 26 or 27. Said notch extends into the annular chamber 31 surrounding a pin 32 round which the end of the tape may be secured to the drum through a loop formed at the end of said tape. Of course, it is possible to cut out the pin 32 and to resort merely to a corresponding bore extending longitudinally through the drum and into which is introduced a small r-od the diameter of which is slightly smaller and which carries the end of the tape.

In FIG. 1, the crank is shown in its operative position, the clutch constituted by the disc 13 cooperating with the shoulders 18 on the drum being operative so that the crank revolves in unison with the drum. In such a case, the sleeve 9 is urged home inside the recess 7. If now the crank is shifted in a clockwise direction until it occupies a position diametrically opposed to that illustrated, the small plate 23 forming an extra thickness engages as a lever the stationary head 6 rigid with the rod 4 soas to shift the sleeve 9 by a predetermined length outwardly of the recess 7 against the action of the spring 10. The shoulders 18 are then no longer fitted inside the openings 16 of the disc so that the sleeve and consequently the crank are disengaged with reference to the drum 1 of which the rotation is no longer governed otherwise than by the locking member 28.

In order to prevent an undesired rotation of the drum in its disconnected condition, the force exerted by the spring 10 against its bearing surfaces 11 and 12 is selected in a manner such that the elasticity of the tape is not suflicient for urging the drum into rotation. The friction of the spring against said bearing surfaces prevents in fact such a rotation. In contradistinction, a traction exerted on the tape is suflicient for freely unwinding it. In an auxiliary manner, it is possible to incorporate a brake for engaging the drum operatively connected with the crank, said brake being constituted say by a spring-urged knob inserted between the drum and its flanges.

In the embodiment described, the drum is advantageously made of plastic material. In such a case, the surfaces in contact with each other are subjected to a minimum wear by reason of the self-lubricating properties of a plastic material when in contact with a metal.

A thin solid metal disc 13b engaging the perforated disc 13 and revolving therewith closes the outer surface of the large diameter recess 8 so as to prevent any impurities or dust from entering said recess 8 and particularly from engaging the intervals between the perforated disc 13 and the shoulders 18 in the recess 8 of the drum.

The mechanism thus executed is very simple since a single spring plays three different parts, to wit: the engagement of the drum with the crank, the holding of the crank in either of its two extreme positions and also the braking of the disconnected drum so as to prevent an untimely unwinding of the tape.

In the preferred embodiment described hereinabove, the disc 13 is provided with openings while the drum carries the corresponding shoulders. A reverse arrangement may obviously be provided by forming for instance stamped projections on the disc for cooperation with corresponding shaped notches in the drum. If the shoulders and notches are given the shape of right-angled triangles for instance, there is obtained a clutch operating for one direction of rotation only, which prevents the winding of the tape in the wrong direction.

Generally speaking, there is no limitation as to the choice of the materials forming the different parts of the arrangement and the discs in particular may be advantageously made of plastic material.

What I claim is:

1. A drum system comprising a rotary tape-carrying drum provided with an axial blind recess opening in one side, two flanges between which the drum is revolvably carried, a sleeve slidingly and revolvably fitted in the recess in the drum and provided with an inturned end, a rod coaxially rigid with the drum extending through the sleeve, a head of a larger diameter rigid with said rod and located inside said sleeve, a spring engaging the transverse surface of said head facing the rod and urging the inturned end of the sleeve against the bottom of the recess, a disc coaxially rigid with the sleeve engaging a transverse surface of the drum and forming a clutch therewith, parallel outer extensions of the sleeve at the end thereof opposed to its inturned end, a pin perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve fitted between said extensions, and a crank including an end fitted eccentrically on said pin and adapted to rock round said pin between a position for which it urges the disc rigid with the sleeve into clutching engagement with the drum to thereby operatively connect the crank with the drum, and a position for which the clutch is disengaged upon outward shifting of the sleeve by the crank end against the action of the spring.

2. A drum system comprising a rotary tape-carrying drum provided with an axial blind recess opening in one side, and including a coaxial cylindrical projection on the opposite side, two perforated flanges between which the drum is revolvably carried, the perforation in one flange forming a bearing for the cylindrical projection of the drum, a sleeve slidingly and revolvably fitted in the recess in the drum, engaging the perforation of the other flange and provided with an inturned end, a rod coaxial with the drum, extending through the sleeve, a head of a larger diameter rigid with said rod and located inside said sleeve, a screw extending coaxially through the cylindrical projection and threadedly engaging said rod to hold it fast, a spring engaging the transverse surface of said head facing the rod and urging the inturned end of the sleeve against the bottom of the recess, a disc coaxially rigid with the sleeve engaging a transverse surface of the drum and forming a clutch therewith, parallel outer extensions of the sleeve at the end thereof opposite its inturned end, a pin perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve fitted between said extensions, and a crank including an end fitted eccentrically on said pin and adapted to rock round said pin between a position for which it urges the disc rigid with the sleeve into clutching engagement with the drum to thereby operatively connect the crank with the drum and a position for which the clutch is disengaged upon outward shifting of the sleeve by the crank end against the action of the spring.

3. A drum system comprising a rotary tape-carrying drum provided with an axial blind recess opening in one side, two flanges between which the drum is revolvably carried, a sleeve slidingly and revolvably fitted in the recess in the drum and provided with an inturned end, a rod coaxially rigid with the drum extending through the sleeve, a head of a larger diameter rigid with said rod and located inside said sleeve, a spring engaging the transverse surface of said head facing the rod and urging the inturned end of the sleeve against the bottom of the recess, a disc coaxially rigid with the sleeve engaging a transverse surface of the drum and forming a clutch therewith, parallel outer extensions of the sleeve at the end thereof opposed to its inturned end, a pin perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve fitted between said extensions and a crank including an end provided with an eccentric port inside which the pin is fitted, the rocking of the crank and its end with the pin driving the sleeve into rotation and their rocking round the pin shifting the end of the crank between a first position for which the crank end engages the head of the rod to urge the sleeve outwardly against the action of the spring to thereby disengage the clutch between the disc and the drum and a second position for which said crank end releases the sleeve to allow reengagement of the clutch and ensure positive connection between the crank and the drum.

4. A drum system comprising a rotary tape-carrying drum provided with an axial blind recess opening in one side and with a further recess of a larger diameter surrounding the first recess opening into said one side and the bottom has shallow sections of a reduced depth, two flanges between which the drum is revolvably carried, a sleeve sliding and revolvably fitted in the first-mentioned recess in the drum and provided with an inturned end, a rod coaxially rigid with the drum extending through the sleeve, a head of a larger diameter rigid with said rod and located inside said sleeve, a spring engaging the trans verse surface of said head facing the rod and urging the inturned end of the sleeve against the bottom of the recess, a disc coaxially rigid with the sleeve, and provided with perforations adapted to engage upon longitudinal shifting of the sleeve the cooperating shallow sections of the fur ther recess in the drum and to form a clutch therewith, parallel outer extensions of the sleeve at the end thereof opposed to its inturned end, a pin perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve fitted between said extensions, and a crank including an end provided with an eccentric port inside which the pin is fitted, the rocking of the crank and its end with the pin driving the sleeve into rotation and their rocking round the pin shifting the end of the crank between a first position for which the crank end engages the head of the rod to urge the sleeve outwardly against the action of the spring to thereby disengage the clutch be tween the disc and the drum and a second position for which said crank end releases the sleeve to allow reengagement of the clutch and ensure positive connection between the crank and the drum.

5. A drum system comprising a rotary tape-carrying drum provided with an axial blind recess opening in one side, and with at least one lateral recess on the other side, two flanges between which the drum is revolvably carried, a sleeve slidingly and revolvably fitted in the recess in the drum and provided with an inturned end, a rod coaxially rigid with the drum extending through the sleeve, a head of a larger diameter rigid with said rod and located inside said sleeve, a spring engaging the transverse surface of said head facing the rod and urging the inturned end of the sleeve against the bottom of the recess, a disc coaxially rigid with the sleeve engaging a transverse surface of the drum and forming a clutch therewith, parallel outer extensions of the sleeve at the end thereof opposite the inturned end, a pin perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve fitted between said extensions, a crank including an end provided with an eccentric port inside which the pin is fitted, the rocking of the crank and its end with the pin driving the sleeve into rotation and their rocking round the pin shifting the end of the crank between a first position for which the crank end engages the head of the rod to urge the sleeve outwardly against the action of the spring to thereby disengage the clutch between the disc and the drum and a second position for which said crank end releases the sleeve to allow reengagement of the clutch and ensure positive connection between the crank and the drum, a right-angled member including a first section slidingly engaging the outer surface of the flange facing said other side of the drum and adapted to move radially with reference to the drum and a second section facing a lateral recess in the drum and adapted upon shifting of the first section of the right-angled member towards the axis of the drum to engage the wall of the lateral recess and thereby lock the drum against rotation.

6. A drum system comprising a rotary tape-carrying drum provided with an axial blind recess opening in one side, and with at least one lateral recess on the other side, and furthermore with a longitudinal bore opening into a lateral recess, a tape wound round the drum and the inner end of which is held fast in said longitudinal bore, two flanges between which the drum is revolvably carried, a sleeve slidingly and revolvably fitted in the recess in the drum and provided with an inturned end, a rod coaxially rigid with the drum extending through the sleeve, a head of a larger diameter rigid with said rod and located inside the sleeve, a spring engaging the transverse surface of said head facing the rod and urging the inturned end of the sleeve against the bottom of the recess, a disc coaxially rigid with the sleeve and engaging a transverse surface of the drum and forming a clutch therewith, parallel outer extensions of the sleeve at the end thereof opposite the inturned end, a pin perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve fitted between said extensions, a crank including an end provided with an eccentric port inside which the pin is fitted, the rocking of the crank and its end with the pin driving the sleeve into rotation and their rocking round the pin shifting the end of the crank between a first position for which the crank end engages the head of the rod to urge the sleeve outwardly against the action of the spring to thereby disengage the clutch between the disc and the drum and a second position for which said crank end releases the sleeve to allow reengagement of the clutch and ensure positive connection between the crank and the drum, a right-angled member including a first section slidingly engaging the outer surface of the flange facing said other side of the drum and adapted to move radially with reference to the drum and a second section facing a lateral recess in the drum and adapted upon shifting of the first section of the rightangled member towards the axis of the drum to engage the wall of the lateral recess and thereby lock the drum against rotation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1959 Carlson 24284.8 7/ 1962 Zelnick 24284.8 

1. A DRUM COMPRISING A ROTARY TAPE-CARRYING DRUM PROVIDED WITH AN AXIAL BLIND RECESS OPENING IN ONE SIDE, TWO FLANGES BETWEEN WHICH THE DRUM IS REVOLVABLY CARRIED, A SLEEVE SLIDINGLY AND REVOLVABLY FITTED IN THE RECESS IN THE DRUM AND PROVIDED WITH AN INTURNED END, A ROD COAXIALLY RIGID WITH THE DRUM EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLEEVE, A HEAD OF A LARGER DIAMETER RIGID WITH SAID ROD AND LOCATED INSIDE SAID SLEEVE, A SPRING ENGAGING THE TRANSVERSE SURFACE OF SAID HEAD FACING THE ROD AND URGING THE INTURNED END OF THE SLEEVE AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE RECESS, A DISC COAXIALLY RIGID WITH THE SLEEVE ENGAGING A TRANSVERSE SURFACE OF THE DRUM AND FORMING A CLUTCH THEREWITH, PARALLEL OUTER EXTENSIONS OF THE SLEEVE AT THE END THEREOF OPPOSED TO ITS INTURNED END, A PIN PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE SLEEVE FITTED BETWEEN SAID EXTENSIONS, AND A CRANK INCLUDING AN END FITTED ECCENTRICALLY ON SAID PIN AND ADAPTED TO ROCK ROUND SAID PIN BETWEEN A POSITION FOR WHICH IT URGES THE DISC RIGID WITH THE SLEEVE INTO CLUTCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DRUM TO THEREBY OPERATIVELY CONNECT THE CRANK WITH THE DRUM, AND A POSITION FOR WHICH THE CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED UPON OUTWARD SHIFTING OF THE SLEEVE BY THE CRANK END AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE SPRING. 